Alternate Surreality
by Isodriel
Summary: When a mysterious female jinn offers both Miyu and Larva the chance to live out the reality of their dreams, they have no choice but to accept. But do they really know what awaits them?
1. Chapter One: Happiness is for the Living

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Author's Note: I suddenly got the idea for this fic after consuming half a bowl of chocolate ice cream, so if there's anyone I should thank for my inspiration it's the good people of Ben & Jerry's. (Although they're also responsible for adding extra calories to my diet :-) No, seriously: I'm not sure if this is any good at all, but you might as well just read it and tell me. I just thought it would be interesting to put Miyu in the life of the average adolescent and force Larva into the role of… well, I'm not really sure yet. Either **1) **a family man, **2) **an obscenely rich lord or **3) **a wild bachelor (loaded with cash, of course). Anyone who wants to vote on it is welcome to do so. No, wait, scratch that. I _demand _at least **someone **to vote! (That way I don't get the blame if it turns out to be a sucky idea… ;-) 

Anyways, enjoy the story and review if you feel like it. (Voting is not, however, optional. It's a simple case of do or _die_…) 

~ Calliope ~

PS: (I just can't resist) This story looks a _lot _better read at minimum size. (Especially since spelling mistakes aren't as easily seen then…) 

~ ¤ ~

"As I was going up the stair  
I met a man who wasn't there  
He wasn't there again today  
I wish, I wish he'd stay away."   
- Hughes Mearns_, The Psychoed _

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Chapter I:

__

Happiness is for the Living

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A swift slice, a few moment's drinking, a quick rearrangement of the body and it was done. Yamano Miyu raised a slender hand and carelessly wiped the corners of her mouth, gazing at the pale, motionless body of the boy on the bench. He was young, no older than eighteen or nineteen, and casually handsome, with a mess of black curls and bright blue eyes. He wore a green and yellow college jacket and a silver locket around his neck. The locket contained a curl of golden blonde hair - probably given to him by a sister, mother or girlfriend; _somebody who will mourn him now that he's dead_, Miyu thought, with a vague uneasiness. For a moment she stood perfectly still, a thoughtful and grave look in her golden eyes; the uneasy feeling eventually gave way to sadness and pity - for the boy and for herself. At least he would live the eternal dream in peace: she, on the other hand, was cursed with immortality - cursed and _damned_… 

"Miyu?" The soft voice, mildly tinged with concern, was accompanied by a pair of arms that came out of the shadows and drew her into the folds of a dark cloak. "Anything wrong?" 

Miyu sighed and relaxed in the comfort of Larva's embrace, closing her eyes and resting her head against his chest, enfolded by the warmth of the cloak. "Yes." She whispered to herself, so that he wouldn't hear her. "Yes… Everything is wrong, Larva. My whole life is _wrong_." Out loud, she assured him that everything was fine. But her voice lacked conviction, and she knew Larva didn't really believe her. But he didn't comment; he just stood there, in silence - waiting for _her_ to move, for _her_ to talk to him. Miyu sighed again. Although she felt safe and, strangely, peaceful in the protective harbor of her _Shimobe_'s arms, she knew that Larva only comforted her out of duty - or maybe even out of habit. His voice was soft, but empty - gentle and yet cold. He had removed his white ivory mask and the face underneath his black hood was, as always, breathtakingly beautiful - but expressionless, as if it was carved out of marble. His exquisite crimson eyes seemed distant, surveying the star-smattered sky above; his hair, silky soft and an unearthly pale blue, shifted in a mild wind. _All that beauty, and yet it contains no life, _Miyu thought, almost bitterly. _Just dead beauty… _"Larva?" 

"Mmm?" Larva looked down, his eyes tracing the worry lines on Miyu's supposedly youthful face. Miyu hesitated before glancing up at him, her golden eyes intense. "Are you happy?" 

Larva seemed mildly confused at first, but when he realized she was completely serious he turned his gaze on the sky, contemplating the question carefully. "What does happiness mean to you, Miyu? A Shinma's happiness is not like the simple emotion humans feel…" He explained thoughtfully, his voice vague and dream-like. It almost seemed as if he was avoiding the question. 

"But are _you _happy?" Miyu insisted, her golden eyes locking on his crimson ones. Larva returned her gaze steadily and then smiled, briefly. "Do you want me to lie to you, Miyu? Or are you demanding the truth?" 

Miyu's answer was perfectly firm. "Tell me the truth, Larva. Just this once, tell me the _real truth_." Larva smiled again; but this time it was a deeply sorrowful smile, wrought heavily with torment and pain. "No." He said, calmly and quietly. "I am not happy. I have not been truly happy for a long, long time. I don't even remember what it feels like any more…" 

Miyu shut her eyes tightly, trying to shut out the cold suffering she had seen in his eyes - trying to shut out the harsh bitterness in his voice. _But after all, I was the one who asked for the truth. _She nodded, trying to be as calm as he seemed to be. "Thank you. That's all I needed to know." 

Larva turned silently, and together they walked down the empty street, disappearing into the night. 

~ ¤ ~

Larva looked down at the sleeping form cradled in his arms, so deceptively fragile-looking and inhumanly lovely. Miyu stirred lightly, giving the faintest of uneasy sighs. Her hand twitched and Larva reached for it instinctively, holding onto it until she fell back into peaceful slumber. He couldn't help noticing the difference in their intertwined fingers: her hand, with its slender fingers and pale peach skin and his, claw-like and deathly white. _Beauty and the beast, _he thought wryly, although he knew he was far from beastly by human standards. But what was the point of being handsome if one was damned? _What is beauty worth in hell?_ Miyu stirred again, her face suddenly darkening with the apparition of some unknown nightmare. Larva smoothed back her dark chocolate brown hair, knowing it was useless to try to comfort her while she was asleep; but still feeling as if he should at least _try_. _For Miyu's sake, I would do anything, _he realized, gazing at the sleeping Guardian. But why? It was not really out of affection, and not really out of duty. It wasn't even because he was forced to, as it used to be. _Then out of what? Love? _ The word came unbidden and Larva easily discarded it. Ridiculous. The emotion had been long ago erased from his system: it was now just a shadow, a vague memory. Miyu was his responsibility, his one purpose in life. He would protect her until the very end - and beyond that too, if need be. Again, Miyu stirred: but this time her hand jerked forcefully and a faint, almost frightened moan escaped her parted lips. Larva watched her movements with his brow furrowed in worry. This seemed beyond the measure of everyday nightmares - it wasn't often that he saw Miyu express anything like fear or discomfort. He sighed, and the ivory mask covering his face stretched the sigh into a strange, hollow echo. Larva absently stroked the satin-smooth skin of Miyu's cheek, his gaze bent on the dark, spindly trees surrounding them. The entire sky was a deep crimson, looking as if it was oozing blood down the branches of the trees. Larva secretly disliked this place; but it was Miyu's so-called "home", and she was thoroughly attached to it. Larva just couldn't help feel depressed here - there were no scents, no sounds, no light… Night-time in Tokyo was so much more enjoyable, with its sharpened scents and ever-changing sounds. The times that he and Miyu spent the night roaming the city were the only times Larva ever felt truly alive. 

Well, not _truly _alive. But almost. 

~ ¤ ~

Miyu knew she was dreaming, but even in her dream she was afraid. A voice was taunting her from the darkness; a lilting, sly female voice, telling her the same things over and over… "Did you really think he would tell you he was happy? Why? Because of _you_?" The voice laughed shrilly, and the laugh reverberated in the darkness. "Honestly, Miyu, _think_ a little. Once you die, he's free to go… And that's all he wants. He's just waiting for you to croak." 

Miyu wanted to speak, to say something, but her voice was suddenly gone. A tall, cloaked figure stepped out of the darkness and surveyed her in cold amusement, shaking his head so that his blue hair shifted. "She's right, you know…" Larva said, smiling the cruelest smile Miyu had ever seen. It sent shivers down her spine. "I _am_ just waiting for you to slip up and die. Do you really think I stay around because _you _want me to?" The dream-Larva walked away, laughing, and another form took his place. It was a young girl with a tall, willowy build, long dark hair and flinty emerald green eyes. Her ears were distinctively pointy, and her mouth held a confident, taunting smile. "I know you hate me right now, Miyu," she said apologetically, "but I'm really just doing this for your own good." 

Miyu once again tried to speak, tried to tell the silly girl to go away - but her mouth, as well as her voice, had disappeared. "Oh no you don't," the girl warned her in a singsong voice, wagging her finger. "You have to listen to me. Do you know what I am, Miyu?" The girl paused for dramatic effect before saying, in a voice suddenly radiating with power, "I am a jinn. Not just any jinn, however - I am Auris, the jinn of lost dreams. I can show you a world where you are nothing but a happy teenager living a perfectly ordinary mortal life…" Auris walked slowly towards her, her emerald eyes slowly mesmerizing her. "That's what you want, isn't it?" The jinn whispered, this time in a perfectly sincere, sympathetic voice. "You want to _live._" 

Miyu suddenly found her voice again, but she wasn't sure on what to say. A deep sorrowful ache filled her, and she was almost on the verge of tears. "All you have to do is agree," Auris said kindly, "and I can give it to you. I can give you the life you've always dreamed of… Temporarily, of course. Then you can decide whether or not to keep it." Auris spread her hands generously. "No catch, no nothing. You have given the eternal dream to so many people - just let me give it to you. Don't you want to taste mortality one last time?" 

Auris could tell Miyu was breaking down, but she needed one last push. She waved her arm and a part of the nearby darkness transformed into what looked like a large window. "Here, come and I'll show you," she said, gesturing for Miyu to come closer. Miyu hesitated but finally came and stood beside the jinn, both of them watching the window like a giant television screen. The window flickered and the image of two happy people appeared; one was a woman very similar to Miyu, the other was a handsome man with a comfortable, relaxed smile and a twinkle in his eyes. "Those are your parents. Your mother is a history teacher - although she's also an excellent cook - and your father owns his own computer software company…" 

Auris commented on every image, while Miyu fixed her eyes on the screen, transfixed by what she saw. "That's your school… your best friends - you have five in total, and you've all known each other your whole lives… Your current boyfriend - incredibly enough, he's an incredible athlete _and_ finds time to study; he's also very cute, I might add… That's your home, and the local high school…" 

Finally, after flashing many more images, the window went blank and Auris turned to Miyu. "Well? What's it going to be? This is a once in a lifetime offer, Miyu - take it or leave it…" Miyu was about to agree, but then she was suddenly reminded of something. "But what about Larva?" She asked doubtfully. "What'll happen to him?" 

Auris shrugged. "I'll visit him, too, if you like. I'll explain everything - and maybe even give him back his lost dream." She paused. "Well? Do you agree or not?" 

Miyu hesitated, closed her eyes, took a deep breath… And nodded. "Yes. I agree." 

Auris smiled, her eyes glittering. "Excellent… And don't worry," she added, smiling wider, "you won't regret it." 

"Yet." 

~ ¤ ~

Larva hadn't intended to fall asleep - he hadn't even been tired - but somehow or other, he found himself in the vast darkness of unconsciousness. Only this time, he wasn't alone. 

She stood somewhere in front of his dream-self, right where he could see her. He tried to say something, or move - but his body refused to respond, and his voice was suddenly gone. Miyu smiled and, suddenly, it wasn't Miyu any more. It was a girl he had never seen before - tall and very slender, with peaked ears and dark hair that almost reached her ankles. She was shaking her head in mock amusement, her emerald eyes glittering. "Really, I don't understand it. She has to spend the rest of eternity with _you_, and she calls herself damned." The girl smiled mischievously. "Personally, I wouldn't mind being damned if I had you for company." 

Larva didn't glare, exactly - he never glared - but his crimson eyes still managed to convey his emotions clearly, smoldering with pure anger and boring a searing hole through the girl's smirk. Larva never needed words to be intimidating. The girl looked startled and then relaxed, shrugging. "Okay, hate me if you want to. But it would be a waste of energy. Especially since I'm about to do you an enormous favor." She smiled again, this time with renewed confidence. "In case you didn't notice, I'm not exactly human. I just happen to be a genie - although I prefer the term "jinn"." 

If she expected Larva to seem impressed, she was seriously disappointed. The look on his face clearly said "_So what?_". The jinn, however, just raised an eyebrow and shrugged casually. "Miyu was a lot more friendly to me, you know. But maybe it's just a girl thing." Now it was Larva's turn to arch an eyebrow. _Miyu? What does Miyu have to do with this? _He wondered, eyeing the jinn suspiciously. He realized that this was no ordinary dream - the annoying jinn-girl was somehow manipulating what happened in his unconsciousness. 

"That's right - I paid your companion a visit a few hours ago. Oh, don't worry," she said hastily, seeing Larva's eyes starting to narrow dangerously, "she's just fine." When Larva was obviously not convinced, the jinn swept her arm sideways and a giant window appeared nearby. "Want me to prove it to you?" She gestured for him to look into the window and Larva suddenly saw a familiar figure - _Miyu_ - walking down a sunlit corridor with a group of young girls, all chatting gaily. The "window" zoomed in on Miyu's face, and Larva saw - for the first time ever - her golden eyes shining with laughter, and a free and easy look on her face. He was still suspicious, but a sudden pang of strong emotion got rid of the suspicion and replaced it with… with… what? Sadness? Envy? 

The jinn was watching him, a pitying expression on her face. "She wanted to experience life the way mortal girls do. She's _happy _now, Larva. She has parents, a pet, friends… and even a boyfriend." The jinn let the last word hang in the air significantly. Larva ignored her, still watching the screen. His face was completely blank and expressionless, even when a young boy joined the group of girls and put his arm around Miyu's shoulders. Miyu didn't even seem to mind - she just gave him a smile of pure, simple affection, her face lighting up. One of the girls smiled slyly and said something Larva couldn't hear; but he clearly saw Miyu blushing, much to the boy's evident amusement. 

"This isn't what's happening right now," the jinn explained carefully, "but it will come to pass within a day or two."

The jinn's earlier words echoed in his mind - _"She's happy now, Larva… She wanted to experience life…" _But Miyu was the _Guardian_. What would happen now to all the stray Shinma, and the mortals who just happened to stray into their paths? The jinn seemed to have read his mind, because she shook her head impatiently. "Don't you get it? If Miyu's in an alternate reality, her place in _this _reality is temporarily frozen. The rest of the world moves on, but Tokyo is frozen in time until you return." The jinn looked incredibly pleased with herself. "It took a lot of magic to fix that up, I can tell you." She smiled and, seeing Larva still transfixed to the window, waved it away just in time to see the boy and Miyu walk off somewhere, arm in arm. When the window melted away, Larva reluctantly turned back to the jinn. He still couldn't speak - probably thanks to the jinn - but it was evident what he was thinking: _Now what? _

"As a jinn, I'm supposed to grant wishes. But since I'm the jinn of lost dreams, I don't really do that. I just give people the chance to experience whatever they most desire - their one lost dream. Only for about a week, though. Then they choose whether or not to stay in the dream-reality." Larva found this extremely hard to believe, but he was interested in spite of himself. 

"What do you want more than anything?" The jinn girl asked, tilting her head. Larva suddenly realized that she had given him his voice back, but he didn't really feel like answering. If she really could read his mind, she'd know anyway. The jinn pretended to think. "Hm… Most people want money, or power… Or just someone to love. But your wish goes deeper than that, doesn't it?" She turned her eyes upwards thoughtfully, still pretending to think. "Obviously, you don't want immortal youth… Or beauty… You've got plenty of that already," she added, grinning. "Oh, I give up!" The jinn-girl threw up her hands in mock surrender. "You have to _tell _me what you want, or else I can't give it to you. Go on, just say it. What is _your_ lost dream?"

Larva still wasn't going to say it, although he knew perfectly well what it was. The one thing he wanted above all others… His one greatest wish - the only thing that could make him happy… 

The jinn-girl was the one who finally broke the silence - she was the one who finally said it out loud, what he had been thinking all along. 

"_Freedom,_" she said, in a quiet whisper that somehow managed to sound incredibly sharp and clear. "It's all you want - all you've ever wanted. Freedom." She raised her arms and spun around, as if she had suddenly transformed into a tall, dancing butterfly. Her silk clothing spun in many shades of blue and purple and green, spangled with gold. She kept spinning, and suddenly everything seemed to explode with color and joy and song. "There's so much of the world to see," the jinn-girl shouted joyously, breathlessly, still whirling in a cloud of color, "and you haven't seen any of it yet! To breathe, to _live_, to do whatever you want to whenever you want to - that is what freedom _is_!" She suddenly stopped spinning and laughed. "And I can give it to you. All you have to do is _want _it!"

Her eyes were sparkling, and all of Larva's suspicions suddenly vanished. He _did _want it - he wanted it so badly that a strong ache seized him, sudden and acute. "All you have to is agree," the jinn said, "and it's yours. Go on, just say yes. It can't hurt you."

Larva was about to agree - but for the one last, lingering doubt still hung in his mind. He shook his head slowly, sadly. "Happiness is only for the living," he whispered, suddenly reminded of what he really was. 

"If happiness is for the living, then why don't you _live_? Who says the undead can't have some fun now and then?" The jinn-girl said it so lightly that Larva couldn't help cracking the tiniest of smiles. The jinn clutched her forehead dramatically and pretended to faint. "Is that a _smile _I see? Wow, the ice man is finally starting to thaw out!" Then she straightened up, looking serious. "Does that mean you agree?" 

Larva nodded. "Yes. I agree." 

Auris smiled widely and spread her arms. "One life of freedom, coming up!"

~ ¤ ~


	2. Chapter Two: Trouble in Paradise

**Author's Note: Okay, Chapter Two is finally up. (I accidenally deleted it before). It starts off in Miyu's perspective, but most of it is generally about Larva. It's not really a very exciting chapter, more of a way to explain and describe the alternate realities. The real fun starts in Chapter 3… **

Since the majority of the votes were for obscenely rich lord/wild bachelor, I blended the two to make a wild (obscenely rich) aristocrat. Although family man _would have been interesting, it would just have been too difficult imagining Larva with children - or Larva with a wife… __I'd probably end up being jealous of her! I mean, who wouldn't? Bottom line, people: Larva is too delicious to give away to anyone but Miyu. (sigh!)_

Anyways, a huge thanks to all reviewers: since I have waaaaay too much free time on my hands, I've answered all reviews at the end of the page. (But if I miss anyone out, they'll go in the next chapter). 

~ ¤ ~

  
"Yet ah! why should they know their fate?  
Since sorrow never comes too late,  
And happiness too swiftly flies.  
Thought would destroy their paradise.  
No more; where ignorance is bliss,  
'Tis folly to be wise."   
-Thomas Gray,_ Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College_

      _          _

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**Chapter II: **

**_Trouble in Paradise_**

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"Mom, do we _have to have blueberry? Why not chocolate chip? Or - or -" Hanako screwed up her face, thinking hard. "Banana!" _

Mrs. Yamano laughed and reached down to ruffle her daughter's hair. "Banana pancakes? Where on earth did you get that idea, Hana?" 

"I think it's quite creative," Mr. Yamano said, from behind the morning newspaper. "Mash a few bananas, mix them into the batter and you've invented a new potassium-enriched breakfast." 

"Mommy, what's - what's -" Hana paused, trying to remember the word, "potasso?"

"Not potasso, honey, _potassium. It's something you find in bananas." _

"Oh. So, every time I eat a banana, I'm eating potasso as well?" Hana looked amazed. "Wow! Two fruits in one!" She rushed out of the kitchen and practically hurtled up the stairs, eager to share this new information. Still holding the rag doll she had been carrying around all morning, she burst into her sister's room and bounced her way to the bed. She jumped up on the bed and kept bouncing, her short ponytails flopping and the rag doll's head flopping with them. 

"Mimi! Mimi, wake up!" 

Miyu blinked and woke with a start, amazed to find a small pink-cheeked dwarf attacking her. It took her a while to recognize the round face, curly black hair and ribbon-bound ponytails of her newfound five-year-old sister. She had only been in the alternate reality a few days, and already she loved it. But instead of smiling broadly, which was exactly what she felt like doing, she groaned and covered her face with the pillow.

"Stop bouncing, Hana! You'll break the bed - no, wait, you'll break _me!" Hana stopped instantly, horrified at the idea of breaking her sister into tiny pieces. Miyu smiled to herself; the poor kid took everything way too seriously. Hana suddenly seemed to remember what she had come to say, and a smile lit her face. "Guess what Mom's making, Mimi?" She didn't even give Miyu a chance to respond before she rushed into the news, her large almond-shaped eyes sparkling. "Potassio-pancakes!" _

Miyu blinked, convinced she had heard wrong. She threw the pillow aside and peered at Hanako. "Hana, what on earth is a potassio-pancake?" 

Hana opened her mouth, closed it again and shrugged. "It's a pancake with banana and potasso-fruit. Daddy invented it! Want one?" When Miyu shook her head no and said she'd be down for breakfast soon, Hana rushed out to help her mother "look for the potasso". "It's hidden somewhere inside the bananas," she confided in a whisper, "and Mommy won't be able to see it by herself."

Miyu sat up and stretched her arms, yawning. She couldn't remember any other time when she had slept as well as she did in the dream-reality; no nightmares, no troublesome dreams… just peace. She smiled and surveyed the room, still amazed with how familiar it seemed. The pale peach wallpaper, dotted with pale pink flowers, the carpet in its many shades of peach and cream, the gauzy curtains framing the tall domed window, the many ornaments, photos, posters and stuffed animals decorating the room. A lopsided paper was taped firmly on the door, with the words "MimI's RoOm" scrawled in Hana's childish handwriting. A very unflattering picture of Miyu as a stick-woman with large brown puffs sticking out of her potato-shaped head was drawn next to the words. Miyu was enraptured by the adorable sign, although she wouldn't have admitted it to anyone else. On the nightstand next to her bed were several framed photos in various colorful frames: one of them portrayed her family, another held a picture of her - or, rather, her dream-reality self - surrounded by her best friends, all making the worst grimaces they could think of at the camera while trying not to laugh hysterically. The photo Miyu found most interesting, however, was the one of herself - dressed in a very uncharacteristic outfit composed of a denim skirt and sleeveless blouse - and a boy she had never seen before in her life. When she asked Hana if she knew who he was, the little girl just giggled and jumped up and down in a manner Miyu had quickly become familiar with. "That's _Seiya, you silly Mimi!" Since Miyu didn't think it would be a good idea to ask just who the hell this Seiya was, she let the subject drop. But she couldn't help wondering if there was something that she should know; especially since, in the photo, her face was positively glowing, looking both shy and blithe - which was extremely unusual in itself. Miyu discovered several differences betten her dream-reality self and her real self: for example, the dream-Miyu was an incredible artist, and several of her oil paintings had been framed and displayed in the house - the real Miyu had never even considered drawing. The dream-Miyu was also an avid reader - the bookshelf in her room was practically full to bursting, while the real Miyu rarely had a spare moment to spend reading.   _

Miyu opened the nightstand drawer, looking for a hairbrush; and found, among the mild clutter, a small book with a smooth, deep blue cover. The book was closed firmly by a small brass lock, and the word _Diary was engraved across the front in beautiful golden letters. Miyu rummaged further into the drawer and discovered a tiny golden key, just the right size and shape to fit into the lock of the diary. _

The pages were filled with a neat, curly handwriting she easily recognized as her own. Miyu flipped casually through the pages until she found an entry that seemed especially interesting - especially since it had the word "Seiya" written into it several times. Miyu started to read - and stopped in shock as soon as she read the first line:

_Dear Diary, _

_Guess what? I think I'm in love!…_

~ ¤ ~

Jane Derry trembled as she ascended the sweeping marble staircase that led to the second floor of the Mansion. She had been trembling all morning, and she was having difficulties holding onto the elaborate silver tray containing her master's breakfast because her palms had suddenly become clammy. Although she was new to the Mansion, she knew what an honor it was to be allowed to enter the master's bedchambers - even if it was just to serve breakfast. The other maids spoke constantly of the master, and Jane herself had caught a glimpse of him when he did the tour of the Gardens with Angus, the head gardener. Needless to say, it hadn't taken her long to become as infatuated with him as all the others were - although she told herself constantly that she was _special, that the master would definitely pay __special attention to her. Just as she was about to knock on the heavy mahogany doors of the master's room, it was opened by a tall, distinguished-looking butler - __Henry, Jane reminded herself. _

"Ah, you've brought his breakfast. Excellent," Henry said briskly, opening the door just wide enough for Jane to enter. When the girl just blinked vacantly, Henry gave an irritated sigh. "Well, what are you standing there for, girl? Come in!" Since she didn't really have any other option, Jane timidly sidled through the door and stood surveying the room in awe. The chamber was vast and impressively decorated - lush, deep crimson carpets, heavy embroidered scarlet tapestry, mahogany sideboards, a great fireplace with a marble mantelpiece… The windows were both wide and long, allowing sunlight to stream into the room and opening onto the master's personal balcony; the walls were hung with several beautiful expensive paintings, and exotic plants were placed in strategic parts of the room… Jane could barely breathe among all this glamour, but she managed to place the tray on the master's polished bedside table. As for the bed itself, Jane had never seen anything like it. It was king sized and managed to fill quite a bit of the spacious room - it was practically a sea of crimson silk sheets, decorated with interloping black snakes, watching everything with small, glittering ruby eyes. 

Jane hardly dared look any further, but she did. And she ended up staring, her breath completely taken away from her. She had never seen lord Larva this close before, but it was certainly a sight for sore eyes - he had the face of an angel, exquisitely beautiful and _so irresistible. And his hair - she'd never seen such hair before! Jane was enraptured by its silkiness and its ethereal, light blue color; for a moment, she had a very strong urge to run her hands through it, knowing it would be as soft as it looked. But the urge was quickly checked when Jane heard Henry politely but curtly tell her to return to her post and close the door on her way out. Jane curtsied and did so, her mind filled all the while with the image of the master, trying to imprint his every aspect into her memory. A mindless smile lit her face, and a flush carefully crept up her cheeks - her thoughts had now turned in quite another direction. One thing was for sure: Jane wasn't going to be able to sleep very well that night. _

Henry sighed and closed the door of the chamber - which Jane had left wide open - shaking his head in amused exasperation. Was there not a single competent female servant in the Mansion? He knew very well that the young ones could not help but be attracted to lord Larva - but what shocked him was that even the elderly cook seemed to lose her wits whenever he happened to pass. And the lord did not exactly make things better, flirting with every pretty female he came across - Henry knew it had to stop, but he didn't really know how. 

~ ¤ ~

Larva stirred uneasily, trying to get away from the sunlight intruding on his vision. He twisted his head, found it just as uncomfortable as the sunlight and finally sighed, forcing his eyes open. 

"Finally, you're awake." Larva squinted at the man standing at the other end of the room, currently busy with parting the curtains of the balcony windows. Then his eyes turned to the tray waiting at the side of his bed. "Good morning, sir," the man stated briefly, in a very businesslike manner.  

Larva yawned and sat up. "Good morning to you too, Henry." He wasn't exactly sure how he knew the butler's name: it just came to him. It was as if the other-reality version of him had merged with his real self: new memories were suddenly nestled among the regular ones, and all the information he needed to know about his new identity were right there. Larva flinched when he realized that were countless memories of encounters with beautiful women, but he didn't seem to know the names of any of them. Then he smiled to himself: he could still perfectly remember the encounter with Auris, and he was both surprised and pleased that she had kept her promise. If there was anything his other-reality self had, it was perfect freedom. His face darkened momentarily as he thought of Miyu, but he brushed the thought away. _She's fine now. _

Henry carefully removed the covers of the plates on the tray to reveal a light breakfast and picked up a clipboard while Larva inspected the breakfast with cautious interest - he normally preferred blood to mortal food, but since he was no longer vampire or Shin, mortal food would have to do. 

"You have quite a busy schedule today, sir," Henry remarked, running his finger along the clipboard. "You will be having lunch with Lady Charody and her daughters - Patrice and Jacqueline, I believe. This time, I would suggest you sit next to Patrice, since she is the most discreet of the trio. Then you will play croquet with the Garden Club, although I do insist you stop letting the young ladies on the opposite team win - no matter how grateful they might be towards you afterwards. And then… oh dear…" Henry paused with his finger still on the clipboard, looking uncomfortable. Larva looked up, a forkful off scrambled eggs paused halfway to his mouth. "What's wrong?" He asked, curiously. 

Henry seemed to recover, and he coughed significantly. "Countess de Monté called again. She's having a masquerade tomorrow evening, and she insists you attend." 

"So?" Larva didn't see what the problem was. Henry shook his head, amazed that the lord would forget such a thing. "In case you've forgotten, the Countess has been… well, to put it delicately, _pursuing you ever since the Count passed away. I have to admit, she __is one of the most desirable ladies in the country," Henry said, as if it were mere fact, "but honestly, sir - the last time you saw her, you ended up trying to explain to her father exactly __what you were doing in her chambers past midnight. You've been avoiding her ever since." Then he sighed in a manner that let Larva know exactly how much Henry pitied him. "But unfortunately, sir, there's no escaping her this time. If you do not attend the masquerade, you will offend the entire de Monté family."_

After bowing and bidding the master a polite good morning, Henry left the room, leaving Larva to ponder this new and disturbing news. He had a vague memory of someone called Selina de Monté, but he couldn't really remember anything else about her… Or… 

Yes, he could. His other-reality self had been trying to repress the memory, but it was right there, sharp and clear. It was like watching a movie being played out in his mind…

~ ¤ ~ 

**A few months earlier, at the de Monté Estate:**

"Honestly, Selina, this _has to stop." Larva was trying to sound firm, but it came out more in a harassed tone. His eyes were darting around the room, trying to find an exit other than the door that Selina had so conveniently locked. "Really?" Selina leant casually against the door, swinging the tiny brass key with her fingertips. "How so?"   _

"You know very well that your father will have my head on a platter unless I leave _now," Larva insisted, trying to look anywhere but at the sinfully ravishing peignoir Selina was wearing. _

Selina tilted her head, a cascade of honey-colored curls falling down her shoulder. "We'll just make sure father doesn't find out, then." Selina's blue eyes were glittering and there was an almost predatory look on her face. Larva froze, torn between guilty consciousness and reckless desire. His two halves - one perfectly ready to chalk up Selina as another one of his conquests, the other still trying to respect her father's wishes - fought out a silent internal battle. 

The respect didn't stand a chance. 

~ ¤ ~

Larva was snapped out of his reverie by Henry, who came accompanied by two chambermaids and a tailor from a nearby town. The tailor was to take his measurements for the costume he would wear at the de Monté masquerade. 

Larva could not get the memory of his last visit at the de Monté Estate out of his head; and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't really see any bright side to the dilemma. 

Only one thing was very clear. He was in trouble. 

~ ¤ ~

**Review**** Replies: **

**No Name: Well, there it is: Le Grand Chapter Two! I only hope it wasn't disappointing, because I might have rushed it a little... But what can I say? I'm a typing fanatic. (Always have been, always will be :-)**

**Svelte Rose: First of all, thanks for the vote! And second, I appreciate the fact that you didn't want to rush me - but, like I said earlier: I have waaaaay too much free time on my hands, so fell free to rush all you want. And I suggest you hold on the congratulations, just in case you found the second chapter utterly horrible, or boring, or tasteless, or… well, you get the general drift. **

**Kyheena: Woah, I can't believe someone actually (or, okay, virtually) _drooled over something __I wrote. It's like suddenly telling me the sky is pink or pigs can fly… Anyways, I hope you picked up some good vibes from this chapter (otherwise I have some major re-writing to do :-). And, of course, thanks for the vote!_**

**:) : Thanks for the tip on the spelling, but I think there are multiple ways of spelling "jinn". According to the Oxford Modern English Dictionary, there's: **

1)"Jinnee" (also "jinn" or "djinn") _In Muslim mythology, an intelligent being able to appear in****_

_human and animal forms, and having power over people.** 2)**** "Genii" (also "genie") - **__a jinnee, goblin, or familiar spirit of Arabian folklore. _

Sorry for giving you the boring details, but I just felt like clearing that up once and for all :-) And I _have noticed that there aren't any new VPM stories coming in any more. It really bugs me, because if this section doesn't produce any more new fics - and __fast - FF.net might have to scrap it. And I do __not want to see that happen!_

**Anna Sartin: I'm glad you like the fic! I only hope you the second chapter lived up to the standards of first one. And thanks for the vote, by the way. **

**Rei: Thanks for the encouragement! And don't worry: right now, wild horses couldn't keep me from writing! **

-Blank- **: I have to hand it to you, you really do know how to pick a name ;-) **

No, but really: Thanks for the review, and the money offer. Although, like you said, I can't make money off VPM, since it isn't mine (I wish it was, though - *sigh*). And thanks for the vote! Unfortunately, the fun for our friend Larva doesn't start until later, but trust me: he won't be the same old Larva when I'm done with him! 

**Dark Phoenix: Thanks for the vote, but I think you're practically the only one who wanted to see Larva as a family man. Still, it might be a good idea for a new fic… And I agree, it would have been difficult; which is partly why I didn't use it (I just don't have the energy to write in more than one little kid!) I'm sorry if you didn't agree with some parts of the story, but everybody has a right to their opinion, after all. **

**Neo Starangel: I'm glad you like the plot, and thanks for the vote! **


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